Donations support our Benicia community and the Harold Bray Legacy.
Renderings above may change
Renderings above may change
Harold Bray, the lone living survivor from the legendary USS Indianapolis
The Benicia Community Foundation, Inc. worked with the City of Benicia, Benicia Veterans Memorial Hall, and community members to design and place a bronze statue paying tribute to our hometown hero Harold Bray, retired Benicia Police Officer, and the lone living survivor of the legendary USS Indianapolis that its last mission to help end WWII. This life-sized bronze statue stands nearly seven feet tall, affixed to a pedestal, surrounded by several bronze sponsorship legacy plaques, personalized engraved bricks, concrete benches, and a storyboard displaying the history of Harold Bray and the USS Indianapolis. The Benicia Community Foundation projects are supported by generous sponsorships from residents, groups, organizations, and businesses. We sincerely appreciate your support.
The second world war began when Harold was just 14 years old. Growing up in a small town in northern Michigan, he participated in ROTC and became his squadron leader, while anxiously awaiting the day when he could join the fight. As soon as he turned 17 in 1944, Harold enlisted in the United States Navy and departed for bootcamp in Great Lakes, Illinois, shortly thereafter.
When the assignments came in, Harold found out he would join the crew of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in Mare Island, California. Indy was a capital ship that just returned stateside for major repair and refitting, following a Japanese Kamikaze attack at Okinawa in late March 1945. Nine members of the crew were killed in the attack. A somber time, but also an exciting time for this young farm boy, who upon seeing the ship for the first time remarked, “I couldn’t believe something that big and that heavy could stay afloat!”
During those summer days, prior to the ship’s final top-secret mission, Harold kept busy learning all the ways of Navy life. “The months and days that followed were spent training, firefighting, standing watches, and learning to drink Navy coffee. While the ship was getting repaired, we lived in the barracks at the north end of the island and rode a train to the ship every day.”
Having left the frigid climate of Michigan behind, Harold fell in love with California and especially the areas surrounding the shipyard. So much so that after his years in the Navy, he would settle down in Benicia, raise a family, and become a beloved member of the police department and community, where he still lives today.
Written by Sara Vladic
The second world war began when Harold was just 14 years old. Growing up in a small town in northern Michigan, he participated in ROTC and became his squadron leader, while anxiously awaiting the day when he could join the fight. As soon as he turned 17 in 1944, Harold enlisted in the United States Navy and departed for bootcamp in Great Lakes, Illinois, shortly thereafter.
When the assignments came in, Harold found out he would join the crew of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in Mare Island, California. Indy was a capital ship that just returned stateside for major repair and refitting, following a Japanese Kamikaze attack at Okinawa in late March 1945. Nine members of the crew were killed in the attack. A somber time, but also an exciting time for this young farm boy, who upon seeing the ship for the first time remarked, “I couldn’t believe something that big and that heavy could stay afloat!”
During those summer days, prior to the ship’s final top-secret mission, Harold kept busy learning all the ways of Navy life. “The months and days that followed were spent training, firefighting, standing watches, and learning to drink Navy coffee. While the ship was getting repaired, we lived in the barracks at the north end of the island and rode a train to the ship every day.”
Having left the frigid climate of Michigan behind, Harold fell in love with California and especially the areas surrounding the shipyard. So much so that after his years in the Navy, he would settle down in Benicia, raise a family, and become a beloved member of the police department and community, where he still lives today.
Written by Sara Vladic
Read the Article published in History.com
USS Indianapolis: The Legacy (Full Trailer) 2016
Buy the Book: Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic
Legacy Bricks SOLD OUT
Legacy Bronze Plaque at Monument
Sponsor Levels
$10,000
Presidential Circle (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument
You Receive:
- Preferred Name Placement under the Presidential Circle with a larger print than Admiral printed name on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 15 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$7,500
Admiral (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Preferred Name Placement under the Admiral with a larger print than Captain printed name on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 12 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$5,000
Captain (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Preferred Name Placement under the Captain with a larger print than Commander on a Brass Plaque on Brass Plaque at the monument
- 10 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$2,500
Commander (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Name Placement under Commander with a larger print than Lieutenant on Brass Plaque on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 7 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$1,000
Lieutenant (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Name Placement under Lieutenant on Brass Plaque on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 5 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$500
Ensign (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Name Placement under Ensign on Brass Plaque on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 3 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis challenge coins
$325
Chief Warrant Officer (Name on a Brass Plaque at the monument)
You Receive:
- Name Placement under Chief Warrant Officer on Brass Plaque on a Brass Plaque at the monument
- 2 custom Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis unique challenge coin
Petty Officer - $100
You Receive:
- 1 Harold Bray and USS Indianapolis unique challenge coin
